Smoky tomato + lime soup with Southland cheese rolls

Thursday, August 6, 2015

This is a story about cheese rolls.

Whilst in Dunedin last month, Maths dude and I attempted to seek out the best coffee and food in town (I don’t mean to say that like I just make casual trips to Dunedin all the time, I wish I could though). We rolled up here and I was a snotty mess so I ordered soup with “cheese rolls”. Cheese rolls sound pretty nondescript, right? Like they could just be grilled cheese buns, or something pastry-based, whatever. What came out were these pieces of white sandwich bread, rolled up, and grilled and filled with melted, oniony cheese.

Weird, I thought, as I dipped them into my soup. Weird, but tasty.

Then I noticed them cropping up everywhere: in cafes, bain maries… there was even a “cheese roll fundraiser form” sitting on my cousin’s dining table. It made no sense, because I thought I knew about *every* bit of kiwiana food that exists. But these were something completely new to me, and Google confirmed that they are indeed one of those rare New Zealand culinary artefacts that are found ONLY in the south of the South Island. But I think Ben explains their obscurity a lot better:

In fact, word of the cheese roll hasn’t even crossed the ditch between New Zealand’s North and South islands. It has barely even made it over the line dividing Otago and Canterbury. This is some seriously localised stuff; it’s like haggis, only without the gruesome bits of sheep innards.

I even checked with my mum, who grew up and lived in New Zealand for a lot of her adult life, and she had never heard of them.

Obviously, the cheese roll is something that is just not to be messed with. The innards are made of melted supermarket block cheese, Maggi onion soup mixture and evaporated milk. No, it’s not sophisticated, but there is no way I am going to try and transform the cheese roll into something different on this blog. Hoooooo, no. In fact, I imagine that many Otago residents feel the same way about their cheese rolls as southerners feel about their pimento cheese. For example, it appears that mustard, malt vinegar, cream, and diced onion are acceptable additions to the mixture. Vegetables and other seasonings and condiments are apparently contraband when it comes to cheese rolls – wait, not even contraband, just never considered by anyone, never, ever. And I’m okay with that.

Maths dude still thinks that cheese rolls are a bit odd, but I like ’em. When I eat them, I feel like I’m taking part in some secret ritual that even many New Zealanders themselves don’t know about. I think, though, unless you live in Australia or New Zealand it might be hard to get your hands on the Maggi onion soup powder that is required to make this recipe. It’s one of those foods that is exported to Australia with things like “the great kiwi onion dip” written on the front of the packet and found in the international foods section of the supermarket.

I made this easy tomato soup to go along with the cheese rolls. This has been one of my favourite soups this winter. If you have some chilli powder on hand, it goes really well with the lime and smoked paprika flavours! It feels a little like spring is in the air this week: sunshine all week, cool mornings, mild days, YEAH, BRISBANE. This is absolutely the best part of the year here!

Place all of the cheese roll ingredients in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave in one minute bursts, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.

Spread around 1½ tbsp of mixture over a slice of white bread, and roll it up. It should stick together quite easily. Place on a baking tray. Repeat until all the cheese mixture and bread has been used up.

To make the soup

Place a stovetop casserole dish or large saucepan over medium-high heat on the stove. Once hot, add a tbsp of oil, the onion and the celery. Cook for two minutes until the onion is beginning to soften. Add ¼ tsp salt, a pinch of pepper, and stir to combine.

Add the tomatoes, and cook for a few more minutes, until the tomatoes are breaking down and releasing their juices.

Add the smoked paprika, sugar, garlic, lime and vegetable stock. Add additional salt if desired. Turn the heat down to low, and cook for 10-15 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Blend in the blender or with an immersion blender until smooth and keep on a low heat while you grill the cheese rolls.

Grill the cheese rolls until crispy (you can also place them in a flat sandwich press - I actually think this would yield a better result but I don't have one). Serve the soup with the cheese rolls. I just sprinkled some pepitas over my soup, but you could add any toppings you like, such as fresh coriander, yoghurt, chipotle sauce, various nuts, etc.

Is it really hard to find that onion soup powder outside NZ and Australia? Fortunately they’re easy to find here in Brasil, gonna try the tomato+lime soup and those cheese rolls next time, looks and sounds delicious!

Hey Fernanda! I think this particular brand might be hard to find? If you can find it there, great 🙂 fairly sure that any onion soup powder would probably work here anyways!!! Hope that you enjoy it if you do make it, let me know how it works out! 🙂

I have NEVER heard of cheese rolls either and I have lived in Auckland for just about my whole life – so yes, definitely not a nationwide thing as yet! Will have to ask my friends at uni in Dunedin if they have come across them! This soup looks awesome too, such a good idea to recreate something you ate on your travels 🙂

Haha, further confirmation of how unheard of they are outside of Otago! They are so damn elusive! Hopefully your uni friends have been introduced to them by now because I feel like they are the perfect student food 😛
Yeah, I was gonna just make this soup, and then I thought it might be a fun idea to discuss cheese rolls on the blog too 😀

You’ve really got me thinking about these cheese rolls from the South Island now, so I’m going to have to give them a try, will let you know how they turn out. The soup looks sooo good, awesome for a cold day like today!

Woah, thats so cool! I’ve never seen cheese rolls, but I guess it makes sense. I mean if your mom who lived in NZ has never heard of them, how would little old me from CA know about ’em! But still, with the internet, you’d think some food writer or magazine would write about them. Thankfully you have, and now I feel a little more informed about the food world over there! Also, I will have to try adding some lime to my tomato soup next time. I’ve never done that, but you’ve made the flavor combo seem so lovely. Your meal looks beautiful! 🙂

You would think so, right?! What gets me is that even NZers don’t know what they are, haha!
The lime works so well here with the raw sugar to create a tangy sweetness that is so delicious! Thanks Beeta 🙂 x

Aw, yay! Thank you so much Natalie!!! I love your blog too, your illustrations on your photos are so damn creative!
New Zealand would be perfect for a honeymoon! I’m thinking about going there for mine. I would be so happy to recommend a few things to do in NZ if you ever go! 🙂

Oh man I just got a serious dose of homesickness for Dunedin and all my beautiful New Zealand friends looking at those glorious cheese rolls. They were the last thing I ate before leaving NZ 🙁 such a beautiful post x

Awww, cheese roll nostalgia! I understand that feeling very well (not the missing cheese rolls per se, but the homesickness, and food can be such a trigger for that!) Dunedin was one of my favourite places in NZ, I can’t wait to go back. I just loved the vibe of the city, so much happening there food, drink and culture wise! I just saw that there are four direct flights per week from Brisbane which is pretty cool! X

I just made the cheese rolls and I am super excited as they were really good! I think we just have to make them and actually try them before we can appreciate how good they really taste. So I’ve got a new fav now to serve with hot soup. Glad you brought this delightful little treat home with you from Dunedin.

Cheese rolls?!!! Now another reason to visit New Zealand. I love that story and the tomato soup sounds delicious. I have about 10,000 ripe tomatoes in the garden so I think I’ll be making this for dinner tonight. Thx!